Chania Crete Review
Chania can safely lay claim to being the most beautiful city on Crete.
The Platia S. Venizelou is where taxis drop you off for the centre of Chania
and is therefore a good place to start. The Platia is dominated by the cross-shaped
marketplace. It is itself fairly new, only finished in 1913 but is nonetheless
quite an amazing place definitely worth a visit, particularly on the early
morning when the fresh fish and meat stalls are crowded with Chania locals
looking for a bargain. The sheeps heads didn't look appetising, but the cheese
shops sold amazing cheeses and the fish was really fresh, often still wriggling.
If you leave the Chania market hall by the north exit (furthest from the square), you can now head towards the old port of Chania. On the way there you pass through a great shopping district through small labyrinthine lanes where you can stroll and window shop untill ariving at the former Venetian arsenale. From here you can walk along the sea wall up to the lighthouse at the port entrance. Look back and see how pretty Chania looks from here. The Venetian harbor of Chania is ringed with restaurants, taverns, cafeterias and bars. The ice creams look better than they actually are.
Amphora on the harbor seemed to us to be the best of the bunch because the staff were very friendly and not aggressive about getting you in to their restaurant, unlike some of their competitors. The fresh fish was excellent and it is a great spot for people watching.
Chania has Minoan, Byzantine, Venetian, Ottoman and Neoclassical remains left by the different civilizations which flourished on the island of Crete over the centuries. Chania's Archaeological Museum has a particularly impressive collection of Minoan pottery.
The Maritime Museum of Crete is in Chania, the big red building on the far side ofthe harbour and gives good insights into the importance of seafaring to the people of Chania and the area.
